Keyboard video mouse (KVM) extension systems are known in the art which allow for a KVM local device (destination user) to communicate with one of a plurality of remote devices (Source CPUs) by connecting the local device to a communication medium (such as a fiber optic cable) via a KVM receiver extender. The local device has a KVM receiver extender that connects to a first end of a communication medium. A second end of the communication medium connects to a KVM matrix switch. The KVM matrix switch connects the local device to a selected Source CPU. The Source CPU typically communicates to the KVM matrix switch via a KVM transmitter extender and a communication medium, such as a fiber optic cable. The KVM matrix switch is thus used to make the connections between the local devices (destination users) and the remote devices (Source CPUs). There is therefore a bi-directional communication path between each local device through the KVM matrix switch to a particular remote device.
There may be times when the local device wishes to communicate with the KVM switch so as to instruct the KVM matrix switch to connect it to a particular remote device. In controlled environments which prohibit the manipulation or insertion of data into the high speed communication medium data stream between the local device and the remote device, there have been relatively limited means for allowing a local device to communicate with the KVM matrix switch. There have been methods which employ use of a separate data connection between the local device and the KVM matrix switch, such as via use of an Ethernet, serial communication, USB communication or other communication path. However, this arrangement typically requires additional cables, interfaces and the like, and may introduce additional security issues.
One such method used in the art is a control device such as a switch configuration CPU which the local device (e.g., User CPU 23) can communicate with via an Internet connection (internet cloud 25). As seen in FIG. 1, the local device then can instruct a switch configuration CPU over the Internet to command the KVM matrix switch to connect the local device to a particular Source CPU. However, such an arrangement has its own security issues, including the use of the Internet to communicate with the switch configuration CPU as well as the need for the local device to have a CPU for communication with the Internet.
The present invention provides a solution to such security issues. It allows a local device to select a desired remote device (Source CPU) without the manipulation or insertion of data in the high speed data path of the communication medium between the local device and the remote device.